Few religions around the world are fully understood by those who do not actively practice them. Still, it seems that some of these religions can be more easily misconstrued than others. Voodoo, for example, is a religion that has seen a fair share of incorrect depictions over the years. If you are curious about how this religion came to be and what its practices are, then now is the perfect chance to begin searching for the truth. Many people picture specific images when thinking of Voodoo, but almost all of those images are fabrications.
Voodoo as a religion comes from many different places. Scholars believe that the main branch of Voodoo originated in West Africa many years ago. It is believed that nations like Ghana, which can be found along the western coast of Africa, are where the religion originally began. After European colonization drove many Africans away from their homes against their wills, the religion was spread to countries like Haiti and the United States, where it began to take new directions.
A Little Bit Christian
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Voodoo is that it is a religion with dark practices and strange magic. While all outside religions can seem odd to an observer, a vast majority of the rituals surrounding modern Voodoo have their beginnings in Christianity. Initially, the West African practice of Voodoo involved worshipping and remembering ancestors and studying spiritual possession. As the religion spread to areas like Louisiana in the United States, it began to take on practices, beliefs, and figures from other popularized religions. Since many Americans practice Christianity, this was the religion that influenced Voodoo the most.
In fact, some Christians consider Voodoo to be merely an extension of Christianity. This was exemplified in the early ‘90s by former Pope John Paul II. On several occasions, John Paul stated that Voodoo was a religion that was so closely entwined with Christianity that it was hard to see practitioners as anything but Christian. While this might be an open-minded view, there are still many people on both sides who do not wish for the connection. Still, it is hard to deny how the two have influenced one another over the centuries.
Different Dolls
A huge misconception surrounding this religion in the current day and age is the idea of the voodoo doll. Everything from old cartoon shows to works of literature attempt to portray these little dolls, and almost all depictions are completely false. In fact, the idea of the voodoo doll is something of a stretch to begin with. The falsified version of this practice has a user picking up a doll that symbolizes a specific person and using pins in the doll to cause pain in the actual physical body of the person the doll represents.
The reality of the voodoo doll is somewhat removed from the fabricated version. While there are dolls created to symbolize people, they are not meant as items of malice. In fact, these dolls are often decorated with hair or clothing that comes from the person whom the doll is meant to symbolize. Afterwards, the doll is covered in other items like flower petals or perfume. People will pray to the gods and ask them to look after the person the doll represents – a similar idea with much more heartwarming results than the story told by Hollywood.
Constantly Learning
Voodoo as a religion has been around for centuries. Still, there are plenty of misconceptions that surround it and cause people to have the wrong idea of the religion overall. By learning the truth, you are putting yourself ahead of the curve and discovering more about one of the world’s more interesting religions.